A Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings, R. C. Griffith & H. Golombek — 1970 Reprint

£16.50

A Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings, R. C. Griffith & H. Golombek — 1970 Reprint

Name: A Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings, R. C. Griffith & H. Golombek — 1970 Reprint
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4540
Price: 16.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, G. Bell & Sons Ltd, 1970

Formatting: 12mo, pp. 128.

Condition Report: Very Good. The binding remains remarkably tight and square, with the original blue cloth displaying minimal shelf-wear and retaining its bright colouring along the extremities. Internally, the pages are crisp and clean, free from the heavy foxing or significant tanning that often plagues mid-century pocket guides, presenting only a hint of natural age-toning to the text block edges. The unclipped dust jacket is similarly well-preserved but exhibits a few expected signs of its functional life, notably some light rubbing and mild creasing to the top and bottom edges, alongside a small surface abrasion to the front panel's orange typography box. Despite these minor external faults, it remains a highly presentable and robust copy that strongly justifies its grade.

Catalogue Note: This is a 1970 printing of the celebrated "New and Revised Edition", which was first overhauled and updated by Golombek in 1958.

The book comes with a delightful piece of mid-century chess ephemera: a loosely inserted game score card from the "B.R.S.A. Southend" (British Railways Staff Association). The card details the opening moves of a 'Scotch Gambit' played by a 'Bowden' as White, offering a charming glimpse into the active mid-century club chess scene.

While earlier editions of this work are somewhat common, finding these later mid-century Bell reprints with their striking photographic dust jackets intact and in such well-preserved condition is increasingly uncommon on the open market.

Originally published in 1949, A Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings quickly cemented its reputation as an indispensable companion for the club and tournament player. Thoroughly overhauled and revised by British International Master Harry Golombek, this authoritative little volume distils the complex theory of openings into a digestible, easily referenced format. Designed to fit perfectly into a jacket pocket for quick consultation between matches, it eschews overwhelming variations in favour of providing the average player with a solid, rock-steady repertoire, ensuring a robust position heading into the middlegame.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: R. C. Griffith & H. Golombek

Book Publisher: G. Bell & Sons Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Sport & Games

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 128

Book Publication Year: 1970

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Bell Chess Books

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.

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